Import Alert 21-17: Detention without physical examination of papaya from Mexico
As of October 26, 2026, FDA Import Alert 21-17 (Papaya from Mexico) lists 165 firms on its green list in 1 country, covering papaya, fresh, raw; 0 firms were added and 0 removed in the last 90 days.
Data from FDA public records, last checked . Request a correction
- 165
- firms on the green list
- 1
- country
- 0
- added in the last 90 days
- 0
- removed in the last 90 days
What changed in the last 90 days
Removed from Import Alert 21-17
SupplierRadar has recorded no removals from Import Alert 21-17 in the last 90 days, as of October 26, 2026. A removal is shown at the top of this page, and on the firm's own page, the day it is found.
Added to Import Alert 21-17
No firm was added to Import Alert 21-17 in the last 90 days, as of October 26, 2026.
Firms on Import Alert 21-17, by country
Listings by country
| Country | Green list | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 165 | 165 |
Mexico (165)
FDA refusals from MexicoShow 140 more firms in Mexico
Refusal charges named on this alert
| Charge code | Meaning | Refusal lines since 2016 |
|---|---|---|
| SALMONELLA | Salmonella | 7,020 |
What the alert covers and why FDA issued it
- Official title
- DETENTION WITHOUT PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF PAPAYA FROM MEXICO
- Product scope
- Papaya, fresh, raw
- Last published
Mexico produces 11% of the worlds production of papayas. U.S. import data from January 1, 2011, shows that approximately 65% of all papayas imported into the U.S. are from Mexico (primarily from the Mexican states of Jalisco, Colima, Chiapas, and Veracruz), which makes Mexico the largest exporter of fresh papayas into the U.S. Evidence shows there is widespread contamination of Mexican papaya with Salmonella, a human pathogen. Based on this evidence, FDA has determined that papaya imported from Mexico appears to be adulterated within the meaning of section 402(a)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because the papayas appear to contain Salmonella, an added poisonous or deleterious substance that may render food injurious to health.
FDA has been collecting and analyzing samples of raw, fresh whole papaya imported from Mexico. From May 12, 2011, to August 18, 2011, FDA analysis found Salmonella in 33 samples out of a total of 211, or a 15.6% positive rate. The positive samples were from 28 different firms and include nearly all the major papaya producing regions in Mexico.
Read the rest of the reason
In addition, a multi-state outbreak of human infections of salmonellosis occurred in 2011. More than 100 people were infected with the outbreak organism in multiple states. The pathogen, identified as Salmonella Agona, is attributable to a specific, uncommon serotype of Salmonella with an indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern by two enzymes.
In the course of the investigation of this outbreak, CDC identified papaya as a likely vehicle. At the same time, State public health agencies conducted interviews of cases to identify the sources of papaya purchased by cases. Using the information provided by the cases, tracebacks were conducted in multiple states. FDA also collected samples of papaya to test for the outbreak strain. Based on information from the outbreak investigation, the outbreak has been associated with papaya from at least one grower and its shipper in Mexico.
Salmonella lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and other animals. The organism may be transmitted to humans by eating foods contaminated with Salmonella from sources of microbial exposure from animals such as birds, mammals and reptiles, or humans. Based on the evidence described above, FDA believes that it is extremely unlikely that the Salmonella Agona outbreak, or the elevated rate of positive samples from FDA's recent testing of papayas from Mexico, is due to random contamination events in nature.
Listing on an import alert is FDA's notice to the firm and a fact an importer must consider in its supplier evaluation under 21 CFR 1.505. What the red, green and yellow lists mean.
Questions about Import Alert 21-17
- What is Import Alert 21-17?
- Import Alert 21-17, “Detention without physical examination of papaya from Mexico”, is an FDA import alert. Its listed firms are on the green list, which exempts their listed products from detention without physical examination under that alert; FDA last published the alert on April 24, 2026.
- Which firms are on Import Alert 21-17?
- As of October 26, 2026, 165 firms are listed on Import Alert 21-17 in 1 country; the most listings are in Mexico (165). The full table, grouped by country, is below on this page and every firm links to its record.
- How do firms get off Import Alert 21-17?
- A firm asks FDA to remove it by submitting evidence that the cause of the listing has been corrected. The Guidance section of the alert on FDA's website gives the procedure and the contact for 21-17; our guide explains the steps and the evidence FDA usually asks for.
- What charge does FDA use under Import Alert 21-17?
- The charge section of Import Alert 21-17 names SALMONELLA (Salmonella). Each code is a refusal charge in FDA's reference table; the linked pages give FDA's official statement and refusal counts.
- Which firms were added to Import Alert 21-17 recently?
- No firm was added to Import Alert 21-17 in the last 90 days, as of October 26, 2026.
- Which firms were removed from Import Alert 21-17 recently?
- SupplierRadar has recorded no removals from Import Alert 21-17 in the last 90 days, as of October 26, 2026. A removal is shown at the top of this page and on the firm's page the day it is found.
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SupplierRadar is not affiliated with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Data comes from public FDA records and may contain errors. This is not legal advice; importers remain responsible for their supplier evaluations.